Cooling consumer prices

Wen reiterated his determination to tame rising consumer prices and runaway housing prices during his tenure, vowing he "will not allow consumer prices to rise unchecked."

China's statistics agency said January inflation remained high at 4.9 percent despite a series of measures to dampen price rises, including three interest rate hikes since October last year.

"I check the price index everyday and I know very well the prices of grains, oil, meat, eggs and vegetables," said Wen. "I know clearly the impact of prices on the country."

The premier also sounded firm on reining in housing prices.

"We have to contain excessive price growth and keep housing prices at a reasonable level," Wen said.

China's housing prices have been climbing steeply since June 2009, fueled by record bank lending and tax breaks. The monthly year-on-year growth rate hit a record 12.8 percent in April last year.

However, housing prices are still rising, with prices of new properties in 68 of 70 major cities up from a year earlier again in January.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 10 of the 70 surveyed cities reported double-digit increases in new home prices.

Wen said the government would work to increase housing supplies, with 36 million affordable homes planned by 2015, including 10 million this year. Last year saw the building of 5.9 million affordable homes started.

The central government had signed strict agreements with provincial governments to guarantee the construction of 10 million subsidized apartments this year, Wen said.

The government would also step up efforts to develop low-rent public housing, said Wen. With its huge population and limited land, China's property policy should be appropriate to its situation and it did not mean that every Chinese owned their own homes.

Wen also said the government would "resolutely" curb demand of home purchases for investment and speculation.

"I am still confident that we will achieve the goal of our policies."

It was Wen's third on-line chat jointly hosted by the websites of the central government and Xinhua News Agency. Previous sessions were held on Feb. 28, 2009, and Feb. 27, 2010.

At the end of Sunday's web chat, Wen said to netizens that he treasured every such opportunity.

"Through the chats, I learn people's wishes and thoughts, while I tell them what government is thinking, what policies we have taken, and what kinds of problems still exist in our work." said Wen.